Apparatus including sheet breaker



1966 H. c. MASON APPARATUS mcwome SHEET BREAKER Filed June 1, 1965 Howard CMcz son United States Patent "ice 3,286,894 APPARATUS INCLUDING SHEET BREAKER Howard C. Mason, Rte. 2, Box 810, Oregon City, Oreg. Filed June 1, 1965, Ser. No. 460,185 8 Claims. (Cl. 225-103) This invention relates to sheet-handling apparatus, and more particularly to such apparatus including sheet breaker mechanism actuatable to separate a sheet into two parts as a result of striking the sheet suddenly whereby it breaks;

Apparatus of such a description finds utility in operations such as a veneer or plywood plant, where a breaker might be included on the ofl'bearing side of a veneer lathe to enable the breaking into two pieces of a continuous veneer sheet traveling from the lathe. The sheet breaker is not intended to replace,.for instance, the veneer clipper inta plant, which is actuated to produce random and regular. width cuts, but rather is a relatively inexpensive mechanism designed to produce sheet separation for such purposes as to facilitate a change to be made in the direction in which veneer travels when moving from a lathe.

A general object of the invention, therefore, is to provide novel sheet breaker mechanism for breaking sheets, which is reliable in operation, simple, and entirely practical.

A sheet breaker, by way of explanation purposes, mightbe installed on a tipple or other means for directing sheets, to enable breaking of a continuous sheet at that point in the sheet where a change is desired to be made in the direction in which the sheet material travels. The breaker, since it moves up and down with a tipple, should be light, in order to impede aslittle as-possible operation of the tipple. The breaker also should be able to withstand repeated tipple movement. Another object, therefore, is to provide a breaker which meets these requirements.

Breakers have been proposed in the past for breaking veneer by striking it, so that separation of the veneer along the grain results. A disadvantage of known breakers, however, is that they have tended to produce undesirable curling 0r folding over of sheet ends, whereby veneer is prevented from lying flat or leaving the breaker. In some operations, this folding over of a sheet end can be particularly troublesome. A further object, therefore, is to provide a sheet breaker whichwill effect division of a continuous sheet into two pieces without accompanying detrimental folding over of sheet ends.

A breaker which relies upon a sharp striking of a sheet to produce sheet division preferably should be so built as to enable considerable momentum to be built up in the agency which strikes the sheet, whereby when the agency meets a sheet sufiicient violent stressing occurs to result in division. A feature and object of this invention is the provision in a breaker of one or more arms for breaking a sheet, where the arm moves into a region where a sheet is located only after it has undergone some initial movement with the building up of momentum in the arms. A feature related to the above is the provision of novel means for returning such an arm to its original starting position, with such arm on its return not moving into the region Where a sheet travels.

Yet another objectof the invention is to provide breaker mechanism where a ram powers the mechanism, and arms in the mechanism do not move into a position for breaking a sheet-until the ram has completed a portion of its stroke, such feature contributing to the production of proper momentum in the arms.

Various other objects and novel features and advantages will become apparent from the following description, which is to be readin conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

, 43 engaging a pulley 44 joined to the shaft.

3,285,894 Patented Nov. 22, 1966 FIG. 1 is a simplified drawing illustrating portions of a production line in a plywood plant;

FIG. 2 is a plan view, on a somewhat larger scale, showing a tipple included in the production line shown in FIG. 1, such tipple being equipped with a sheet breaker as contemplated herein;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2, showing details of a breaker arm in the sheet breaker contemplated, with different positions of the arm illustrated in dashed outline; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but showing other positions for the breaker arm.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, here there is illustrated, in a somewhat simplified form, portions of a production line in a plywood plant, includinga lathe and structure on the ofibearing side of the lathe for receiving veneer. More specifically, the usual lathe is indicated at 10, which includes opposed chucks suchas the one represented at 12, which are brought together and into opposite ends of a log 13 to hold the log and revolve it while veneer is cut therefrom. Veneer peeled from the log on the oifbean'ng side of the lathe travels over a trash gate 14, and thence onto a tipple shown generally at 16. From the tipple the veneer is directed onto one of multiple belt tables mounted adjacent the olfbearing end of the tipple, and shown at 22 through 26.

A typical lathe may cut from-800 to 1,000 lineal feet of veneer per minute, and in a plywood plant the other machinery in the plant oftentimes can handle veneer at only a fraction of this rate. Therefore, the belt tables described are'included, which function to collect a backlog of veneer as the same is more or less continuously supplied from the lathe, which backlog ma'yperiodically be drawn upon in completing plywood panels. With the belt tables, a continuous supply of veneer is possible'without operating the lathe continuously.

Let it be assumed that a continuous piece of veneer is traveling from the lathe and over the tipple to belt table 22, andthat this belt table now becomes filled with veneer. It then becomes necessary to swing the tipple whereby newly cut veneer will be directed into another belt table, and before such swinging of the tipple may be performed, the continuous piece of veneer must be divided in some way to produce an end for feeding into this other belt table. Breaker mechanism is shown at 30 for performing this division.

Referring now also to FIG. 2, and considering now in more detail the construction of tipple 16, this structure includes a tipple frame 32 comprising longitudin-als 34 and cross frame members 35, '36 and 37. The tipple frame is journaled at 38 on a transverse shaft 40. Shaft 40 may be journaled at 42 on stationary supporting frame structure, and is rota-ted under power as by a belt The tipple includes conveyer belts 46, 47, 48 and 49 with upper runs extending along the top of the tipple frame for transporting veneer along a path 51 defined by said belt runs. The belts at the infeed end of the tipple are trained over pulleys 52 joined to a hollow shaft 53 which surrounds and is secured to shaft-40. Pulleys 54 rotatably supported on a shaft 55 mounted on the tipple frame adjacent the frames offbearing end support opposite extremities of the belts.

With shaft 40 rotated under power belts 46, 47, 48, 49 may be moved so that their upper runs move to the right in FIG. 1, or downwardly in FIG. 2. Such produces movement of veneer over the tipple from the feed to the offbearing ends of the tipple, or in the direction of arrows 57 in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The tipple frame may be swung about the pivot axis provided by shaft 40, to have its offbearing end swing up and down, by any suitable power-operated means. Exemplifying such a power-operated means is the extensible ram partially shown at 56.

Breaker mechanism 30 mounted on the tipple frame comprises a pair of wheels 60, 62 secured to a shaft 64 at points spaced axially on the shaft. Shaft 64 is journaled in bearings 66 mounted on the tipple frame, such bearings accommodating rotation of the shaft about an axis extending transversely of the path of travel of the veneer over the tipple.

The two wheels 60, 62 are similarly constructed. Considering for explanation purposes wheel '62, each comprises a pair of spaced apart discs 63, 65, and sandwiched between the discs a core member 72. The discs and core member are all suitably secured together, and secured to shaft 64, the connection with shaft 64 including a key 67.

The core member which is sandwiched between the discs has the profile shown in FIG. 3. Thus, edges 74,

75 and 76 define margins of the member between approximately diametrically opposite sides of the wheel. An arm' mounting supporting the arm for movement in an arcuatesweep extending about an axis which extends transversely out of the path of veneer over the tipple. The arm occupies substantially the plane of the core member, and has a pointed end 81 extending approximately at right angles to reach 83 of the arm. The arm may be swung about pin 78, in a clockwise direction in FIG. 3'relative to the pin, to place edge 83a against edge 76, and in this position the arm projects radially outwardly from the wheel a considerable distance. With 'the arm swung in a counterclockwise direction relative to the pin, edge 8312 comes into contact with edge 75, and the arm lies close to the center axis of the wheel, as indicated by the outline for the arm in FIG. 4.

Wheels '60, 62 are mounted on shaft 64, with the wheels, the arms carried by the wheels, and the pins mounting the arms, aligned Ill). a direction extending transversely of the conveyers in the tipple. When not being operated, the arms have an at rest position, when they depend downwardly from the pins mounting them, below the path of travel of veneer over the tipple, as shown by the arm in solid outline in "FIG. 3.

According to this invention, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, shaft 64 is rotated through an angle of about 270 (in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 3), during a breaking stroke for the breaker mechanism, and rotated in the opposite direction about 270, in a return stroke for the breaker mechanism, to place the parts in their original at rest position. During rotation of the shaft in the breaking stroke, initially an arm is moved up by the wheel that mounts it, and at the same time the arm swings about pin 78, whereby its edge 83a moves to meet edge 76, of the core member. Before the pointed end 81 of an arm moves into the path of veneer traveling over the tipple, the wheel mounting the arm has rotated enough to cause edge 76 to engage the back edge 83a of the arm. On continued rotation of the shaft in the breaking stroke, each arm is. moved in an arcuate sweep and rapidly first upwardly through the path of travel of veneer, thence in the direction that material travels on passing over the tipple, and finally back down to below the path of travel of 'veneer, as indicated by the dashed outlines 80A, 80B,

and 80C in FIG. 3. At the end of the breaking cycle, an arm depends from the wheel, as shown by the arm in dashed outline at 80D.

During a return stroke, when the wheels are rotated in the opposite direction by reverse rotation of the shaft, the arms sweep in the opposite direction, but never move into the path of travel defined by the veneer belts; The arms instead swing on pins 78 until their edges 83b come to rest on edges 75. As shown in FIG. 4, an arm in this position is close enough to the center of a wheel to be kept out of the path of travel of veneer on rotation of the wheel.

Considering again FIG. 2, a rack 84 and a pinion 86 are provided for producing rotation of the shaft. The rack is moved back and forth, in a guide 87, by extension and breaker.

Briefly describing the operation of the apparatus, as already indicated,'the at rest position for a wheeland arm is as shown in FIG. 3, with the arm depending downwardly from the wheel that mounts it. If it is desired to produce a break in the veneer traveling over the tipple, ram 88 is actuated to extend it. This produces simultaneous rotation of the two wheels described, and when the ram reaches approximately the middle of its extension stroke, the arms mentioned are moving sharply up and into the underside of the veneer. At thistime the arms have considerable momentum, and on striking the veneer,

sufiicient violent stressing results to break in two any veneer sheet traveling over the wheels.

The arms, as they continue to travel, move in the same general direction as the direction of travel of the veneer. This is important, since it reduces to a minimum any tendency for the ends of veneer to be curled or folded.

over. The end .of the veneer which is coming into the tipple from the lathe lies perfectly flat during breaking.

The end of the piece which is leaving the tipple may be lifted up slightly by the arms, but because of the travel of the veneer, the lifting is not enough to produce. folding over of the veneer, and on leaving the tipple, this veneer piece also lies flat.

After producing a break, ram 88 is'contracted, and.

shaft 64 is rotated in'the opposite direction, with the wheels also rotating in the opposite direction whereby thearms are returned to their original'at rest position. The

breaker mechanism now is in condition to produce another break when necessary. .Ven eer :on the tipple is undisr.

turbed during this return movement. a

The apparatus, -it will be noted, is relatively simple and has relatively little mass; This enables the apparatus easily to be installed on a tipple without encumbering the tipple and impairing movement in the tipple. Up and down swinging movement of the tipple in no way affects operability of the apparatus.

Because the arms are loosely mounted on the wheels,

and the arms do not move into the path of a sheet until the stroke of the ram has been well started,the arms when they do engage .a sheet have considerable momentum, and are operable to produce a clean, sharp break.

It should be obvious that certain modifications. and. variations are possible without departing from the inven-.

tion. It is intended to cover all such modifications as would be apparent to one skilled in the art, and that come within the scope of the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent: 1. Sheet-breaker apparatus comprising conveyermeans for moving sheetmaterial along a defined path in a given.

direction through the apparatus; a mounting supported below said path for movement in an arcuate sweep ex-. tending about a first axis which extends transversely of for moving a sheet along a defined path in a given direction through the apparatus; a breaker arm; and means mounting said breaker arm with the arm movable in a breaking stroke and a return stroke; said arm having an at rest position below said path, and in its said breaking stroke moving from said at rest position in a sweep extending upwardly through said path, thence along the direction that a sheet moves when on said coveyer means, and thence downwardly to return to a position below said path, said arm in a return stroke returning to said at rest position by movement against the direction that a sheet moves when on said conveyer means while located below said path.

3. Sheet-breaker apparatus comprising means defining a path of travel for sheet material through the apparatus, a wheel mounted to one side of the path, a breaker arm mounted on said wheel, and means for rotating the wheel comprising a ram with an extension and a contraction stroke, said arm on rotation of the wheel projecting outwardly from the periphery of the wheel and moving in a sweep into and then out of said path of travel, said ram during one stroke thereof rotating said wheel to produce such movement of the arm.

4. Sheet-breaker apparatus comprising means defining a path of travel for sheet material through the apparatus,

a wheel mounted to one side of said path,

a breaker arm pivotally mounted on said wheel,

means for rotating said wheel in opposite directions,

said wheel including means whereby with the wheel rotating in one direction, the arm is held in an extended position extending from the periphery of the wheel, and with the wheel rotated in the opposite direction the arm is held in a retracted position on the wheel located radially inwardly from the firstmentioned extended position,

said arm, when in its said extended position and on rotation of the wheel moving into and out of said path of travel, and when in its said retracted position and on rotation of the wheel moving entirely to one side of said path of travel.

5. In sheet-handling apparatus,

a tipple for directing sheet material, having a pivoted infeed end, and an outfeed end which is swingable up and down,

said tipple including conveyer means for transporting sheet material thereover along a path of travel defined by the conveyer means,

an arm mounted below said path of travel defined by said conveyer means, and

means for moving the arm in a sweep, with one end of said arm moving up through said path of travel,

thence toward the outfeed end of the tipple, and thence below said path of travel,

said am functioning as a breaker arm for breaking in two a continuous sheet to facilitate a change to be be made in the direction the sheet travels as determined by said tipple.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein there are at least two of said arms, one adjacent each side of the tipple, between the tipples ends, said arms are substantially aligned in a direction extending tranversely of the tipple, and means is included connected to both of said arms for moving them in unison.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said means connected to both arms comprises a ram with an extension and a contraction stroke, and the connection between the ram and two arms is such that each arm moves into and out of the path of travel defined by said conveyer means on one stroke of the ram.

8. A sheet breaker comprising means defining a path of travel for sheet material,

a shaft located to one side of said path and extending transversely of said path,

a pair of wheels secured to the shaft at points spaced axially therealong,

a pair of arms pivotally mounted on said wheels, one on each, said arms being in substantial alignment in a direction extending transversely of said path,

said wheels including means whereby with the wheels rotated in one direction, the arms on the wheels are held in a position extending outwardly from the periphery of the wheels, and with the wheels rotated in the opposite direction, the arms are held in an other position on the wheels located radially inwardly from their first-mentioned position, and

a ram with extension and contraction strokes connected to said shaft operable to rotate the shaft in one direction on one stroke of the ram, and to rotate the shaft in the opposite direction on the other stroke of the ram,

said arms moving into and out of said path of travel on rotation of said wheels and when they are in their said first-mentioned position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 651,619 6/1900 Tilden 225103 1,418,115 5/ 1922 Wheeler 2252 X 1,459,746 6/ 1923 Pflanze 225103 X 2,909,828 10/ 1959 Crandall 225103 X WILLIAM W. DYER, 111., Primary Examiner.

J. M. MEISTER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. SHEETS-BREAKER APPARATUS COMPRISING CONVEYOR MEANS FOR MOVING SHEET MATERIAL ALONG A DEFINED PATH IN A GIVEN DIRECTION THROUGH THE APPARATUS; A MOUNTING SUPPORTED BELOW SAID PATH FOR MOVEMENT IN AN ARCUATE SWEEP EXTENDING ABOUT A FIRST AXIS WHICH EXTENDS TRANSVERSELY OF SAID PATH; AND A BREAKER ARM POSITIONED BELOW SAID PATH PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ADJACENT ONE END ON SAID MOUNTING FOR LIMITED PIVOTAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO THE MOUNTING ABOUT A PIVOT AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID FIRST AXIS, SAID ARM BEING MOVABLE ON ARCUATE MOVEMENT OF SAID MOUNTING IN A SWEEP THAT EXTENDS UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID PATH, THENCE FORWARDLY ALONG THE DIRECTION THAT A SHEET MOVES WHEN ON SAID CONVEYOR MEANS, AND THENCE DOWNWARDLY, TO RETURN TO A POSITION BELOW SAID PATH. 